


Cycle of Concerns

by HungryLibrary



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Some angst, arguing with the people you care about because you care about them a little bit more than they do, being worried about letting them down even when that's not what worries them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-07
Updated: 2014-06-07
Packaged: 2018-01-26 11:21:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1686509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HungryLibrary/pseuds/HungryLibrary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An exam approaches and Ruby worries about her partner. Turns out the feeling is mutual.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cycle of Concerns

“Muffin?”

Weiss glowered as a few crumbs fell on her half-finished report.

“No thank you.”

“There’s also a sandwich, if you want it?“

“I’ll pass.”

A moment of blessed quiet, and then…

“…The kitchen had some oatmeal cookies-“

“Ruby!” Pale hands smacked down on the desk between them. “Do you  _see_  what I am trying to do here? Is there a napkin on my lap, did this pen magically transform into a  _fork?_ ”

The brunette shied back as Weiss’s voice rose.

“N-no? But, you’ve been leaving food on your plate lately, so I thought-“

“I left it there because I don’t feel like stuffing myself,  _not_ because I wanted you to force-feed me later on!”

Silver eyes narrowed in a glare to match Weiss’s own.

“Well that’s kinda why I’m worried, isn’t it?” Ruby waved an arm at the towers of books and crumpled paper on their desk. “You can’t do all this extra studying for the exam with an empty stomach, that’ll only make doing good on it harder. You’re already having trouble, Weiss!”

“ _Really?_ ”

The heiress very deliberately set aside her pen.

“Tell me something, oh health conscious leader of mine- Is falling asleep every time you sit down a sign of being properly prepared for the exam? Will being even more sleep deprived than usual help you score well, or is it only  _my_  dietary habits that threaten to take down our teams combined grade?”  

Ruby’s ever present blush darkened a few shades, vivid contrast bringing out the shadows under her eyes.

“This isn’t about the team grade-“

“No, it’s about keeping a certain red cloaked dolt from dropping dead from exhaustion-“

“I’m just tired! People get tired when they work hard!”

“Ha! Then are you saying you work more than Blake, or Yang, or I? That you are having trouble keeping up?”

“That’s not it!”

“You claim to do the same work load and get the same amount of rest, yet I don’t see anyone  _else_  dozing off midsentence!”

“If you’re so worried then why don’t you make things easier for me by actually eating a real meal once in a while!”

“Only if you tell me why you aren’t getting enough sleep.”

“I sleep fine.”

“ _Liar._ ”

With a growl Ruby shoved her chair back form the table and flung a brown paper bag down on Weiss’ books.

“Just eat the sandwich. It won’t kill you and I know you’re hungry. Your stomach has just as much vocal talent as you do, half of the dorm probably thought we were being attacked by beowolves.”

Bright red from rage and embarrassment, Weiss surged to feet with an angry cry, but Ruby was apparently done listening.

She turned to storm out the door. She made it less than a stride before Weiss caught her by the wrist.

Spinning her partner around Weiss latched onto the other wrist as well before Ruby could yank free, forcing the younger girl to meet her dead-serious gaze.

“I didn’t say anything at first because we hardly knew each other… But it’s been almost a year now, Ruby, and I still haven’t seen you make it through a single  _week_  without drifting off in class or before you even changed out of uniform-“

“ _It’s none of your business._ ”

The shadows under Ruby’s eyes made her anger, already a rare thing, look downright alien. It was like looking into the face of stranger- Weiss had to repress a shiver at the thought. 

“It  _is_.” She insisted. “We are partners. I don’t like seeing you stagger around, just as you don’t like it when I go off my food!”

Ruby flinched and tugged on her wrists, trying to pull free.

“Let go.”

Weiss held firm.

“After you tell me what’s going on. Maybe I can help, or your sister or someone-“

Ruby tugged again. She wasn’t glaring at Weiss anymore, head bowed to stare at the tiny patch of floor between them.

“Let go of me,  _please_.”

“No. Do you have nightmares?”

A sudden twist almost broke Weiss’s grip- Almost. She had expected it though, and the following struggle only pulled them closer together.

“Idiot, what is so wrong about having bad dreams!? Why won’t you just let me help you-”

“I don’t need help, Weiss! I’m doing fine, I won’t drag you down- I promise okay?  _I promise._ ”

Weiss felt her heart sink.

Ruby’s voice had broken on those last words. And the reason why Ruby wouldn’t look at her…

Releasing one hand, Weiss reached up to brush aside the unruly bangs that had fallen across Ruby’s face.   

“Dolt. I don’t care if you  _do_  drag me down.”

Ruby looked up with a jolt, the disbelief in her over-bright eyes making Weiss’s heart plummet further still.

“I… haven’t really cared for a while now, okay? Just having you around to be happy and irritate me is enough.”

And now it was Weiss’s turn to look away, her turn to fight to keep her voice steady and her face straight.

“But it doesn’t  _work_  if you’re sad. Everything feels ten times more stressful, nothing goes right, and I just can’t concentrate properly while worrying about you! So if you can’t tell me then  _fine_. But…”

Withdrawing both her hands, Weiss held them open between them as she took a breath and looked up into Ruby’s eyes again.

“Please, I’m right here… I just want to help.”

Ruby didn’t take her hands.

She didn’t leave either, which Weiss dared to take as a good sign.

“Did… did worrying about me- Was that part of what ruined your appetite?”

Drat. She’d been rather hoping to skirt by that detail. 

“…Yes.” Weiss admitted with a sigh. “A little bit. I’ve had pre-exam nerves before, but never quite like this.”

“So I have been dragging you down.”

“ _Ruby_ -”

Ruby shook her head.

“You can’t help me with the dreams, Weiss. I’ve been having them for years.” She sounded incredibly tired as she said it. Weiss supposed she had every right to sound tired, if it had really been  _years_ …

The burrnette gave her head another small shake, this time more to herself than anyone else.

“But, if hearing about them will help you calm down… then okay.”

“Okay?” Weiss parroted numbly, a little distracted by the warmth of Ruby’s fingers slipping into her own.

“Yeah…”

Slowly a blush lit up Ruby’s face, as wonderfully familiar as the smile followed.

“The world doesn’t feel right to me either, when my partner’s sad. Dreams or no dreams, I’m a whole lot better when you’re happy, Weiss.”

Something tugged at one trembling corner of Weiss’s lips.

A moment later she realized it was an answering smile, every bit as bright as Ruby’s own.


End file.
